Switching to Mac: Videogame woes

WJorBUST · May 8, 2007

For a long time now i have been interested in switching to a macbook. I've read countless articles, talked to many hardcore mac and pc users, and tested driven mac, and i've found that they are far superior in ALMOST every way. There is only one key factor i'm concerned about.

GAMES

having grown up in the current century, i love video games. and am very excited for some upcoming releases, specifically a certain little game called Spore. I know windows can run on mac, but i'm worried about running a different OS slowing down my high-performance games, or any problems that may arise from running windows programs. and i have NO desire to wait for Mac releases, if the specific game is even released on mac.

Bottom line, am i safe in investing in a Mac if i want to play my high-performance PC games, or should i just continue gaming on a second-rate PC?

KahluaFan · May 8, 2007

Depends on the mac you get really, if you go for a MacBook pro with a reasonable video card and use bootcamp you should be fine. The same goes for the iMacs with reasonable video cards, run games fine there

My version of Football Manager 2007 runs quicker through my Mac than my friend's does on his higher spec PC, so it just goes to show that properly optimised Mac games can outstrip PC ones, just a shame we don't see as many developed really!

WJorBUST · May 8, 2007

I'm looking into getting a Macbook, fyi.

KahluaFan · May 8, 2007

I'd go with a MacBook Pro if you can tbh, they have reasonable dedicated video cards, the one in the MacBooks shared i believe and will struggle to cope with anything too intense

Village Idiot · May 8, 2007

Honestly, buy a pc if you're concerned about gaming. Running windows on a mac via bootcamp is running an actual compy of windows, but the hard ware just isn't there. A macbook will not satisfy you. I have a 2.16 c2d mbp and I'm running an older mmorpg called eve-online. My mbp has a 128mb ati x1600 and it lags the game because of too much going on. I'm running it at 1440x900 (or whatever the max resolution of the mbp is) and it runs fine until a lot of things start happening. I also have a 17" dell that I use mainly for games. It has an nvidia go 7900gs and can run the game at 1920x1200 with all graphical settings maxed out.

I can also run wow at that resolution and retain 60fps the majority of the time I'm playing. A macbook has an integrated graphics chip that's only like 64 mb and will probably dissapoint you when it comes to playing games. If you want the mac for other reasons, go for it.

D3v1L80Y · May 8, 2007

WJorBUST said:
Bottom line, am i safe in investing in a Mac if i want to play my high-performance Windows games, or should i just continue gaming on a second-rate Windows PC?

If you want to play high-performance games designed for Windows machines, then stick with them.
I wouldn't get a second rate machine of any kind if I intended on playing a ton of high-end games.

Get what you really need.... a decent, higher-end Windows machine from Dell or Alienware.

Ninjab3ar · May 8, 2007

WJorBUST said:
I'm looking into getting a Macbook, fyi.

If games are your main priority, the MacBook is a HORRIBLE choice. With only 64MB of DEDICATED video memory, you will not be able to play any high performance games.

If you really want a Mac BADLY, I suggest the MacBook Pro with the 256mb video card. If that is too pricey for you ($2500), and portability does not matter, I suggest getting an iMac and upgrading it's video card to 256mb.

If none of that matches your criteria, then do what Devilboy suggested and DO NOT get a Mac, or you will regret your purchase.

Mantronix · May 8, 2007

Stick with a windows machine if you want to play games. Never understood why people buy Macs for games. Do what I did man. Buy a gaming console. No worries about upgrading, drivers or incompatibility issues.

Audio.Trench · May 8, 2007

I say get an Xbox 360

walmartconnect · May 8, 2007

If you're like me and have a distaste for consoles (don't flame me guys, I'm in love with a keyboard + mouse and the ability to upgrade), I have solved the problem by doing everything on my macbook except for games, which reside on my PC.

Phoenix Scanner · May 9, 2007

Here is the bottom line. Macbooks are poor choices for gaming. That is not what they are made for. Period. I know firsthand. They also suck at Autocad.

Now, with that out of the way, they ROCK for the other ten thousand things you need a computer for. Better than pc's in so so so many ways. If you must do computer gaming or cad work, keep a fast pc around and don't bother hooking it up to the internet. Use it for the one or two things it is good for. Use a mac for the other 99% of your needs, and you will be happy.

Better yet, save yourself some money, and buy a Play Station if you love gaming. For a fraction of the cost of a PC you can have something REALLY made for gaming, that will match any PC in graphics, plus you get a blue ray player in the deal, which is worth several hundred bucks itself.

Don't buy a mac to game, but a mac when you want a secure, efficient, problem-free platform to do internet, mail, documents, and photo/media editing on. Macs are tools, not toys. Play Stations are toys, and **** fine toys at that.

Mantronix · May 9, 2007

punkr0x0r said:
I say get an Xbox 360

That is what I have and my kids a Wii.

Village Idiot · May 9, 2007

Nothing can beat the graphics of a bleeding edge pc game with an $800 video card and 30" display

Thyamine · May 9, 2007

Well I can say that I just upgrade to a Macbook Pro from my old PC, and that all the games I've run so far have run great in OS X. I expect to install Boot Camp in the near future, but at the moment I'm just enjoying the heck out of my Mac as is.

I'm also a huge gamer, and the thing that kept me from switching for a long time was games. Now I know my current PC is a generation (or three) behind, but still I have no complaints with the MBP.

Mantronix · May 9, 2007

Village Idiot said:
Nothing can beat the graphics of a bleeding edge pc game with an $800 video card and 30" display

I gotta agree with him. Friend just dumped $800.00 on a video card. With that money I would of bought a refurbished macbook. ;D

Village Idiot · May 9, 2007

Mantronix said:
I gotta agree with him. Friend just dumped $800.00 on a video card. With that money I would of bought a refurbished macbook. ;D

And you could have played mine sweeper...

Mantronix · May 9, 2007

Village Idiot said:
And you could have played mine sweeper...

Funny thing that he only plays WoW. I couldn't understand why would he spend that much on a video card for WoW.

Prise · May 9, 2007

Mantronix said:
Stick with a windows machine if you want to play games. Never understood why people buy Macs for games. Do what I did man. Buy a gaming console. No worries about upgrading, drivers or incompatibility issues.

This is the way to go.

For gaming, a windows-based PC is better on several levels. One, more choices. Two, the best games are first developed for a PC. And, finally, while the default Mac houses "very good" hardware, a PC accords the option of getting the "BEST" hardware on the planet.

A PC put together with the very best hardware, overclocked, and tweaked will run a game at a level that not even consoles can hope to approach, let alone a Mac.

I will always have a PC desktop for games, but do everything else on my Macbook.

Mantronix · May 9, 2007

Whenever the new Starcraft game comes out I will upgrade my gaming PC. So I'm looking at 2020? ;D

Village Idiot · May 9, 2007

Mantronix said:
Whenever the new Starcraft game comes out I will upgrade my gaming PC. So I'm looking at 2020? ;D

blizzard has an announcement to make on May 19th.